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Wales Online
Wales Online
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Ian Mitchelmore

What's in store for Swansea City against Middlesbrough, Millwall and Bristol City as under pressure Russell Martin faces pivotal week

Swansea City have a pivotal week ahead of them prior to the international break.

Russell Martin's men have collected just one point from their last four matches since beating Blackpool 2-1 on home soil and face three in-form opponents prior to their big clash with rivals Cardiff City in April.

Here's a closer look at the three sides Swansea face next and what they will hope to gain to ease the pressure on head coach Martin.

READ MORE: Jeers and groans don't help Swansea City players, they need their supporters more than ever

Middlesbrough

Now, this is a tough one.

Boro are the form team of the Championship and have collected 43 of the 57 points on offer since Michael Carrick took charge of the club in October, a run that has seen them climb from 21st to third in the table.

Chuba Akpom is the leading goalscorer in the league having netted 21 times already this season, two of which came in his side's 5-0 thrashing of Reading at the weekend.

They also like to control the ball and boast plenty of pace and power in their ranks which will no doubt pose Swansea plenty of problems, including in the form of one of Martin's January transfer targets, Cameron Archer, who has netted three times since moving to the Riverside Stadium on loan from Aston Villa.

Few will predict a home win here, and Sky Bet have Boro as the 23/20 favourites to emerge victorious in the game, with a Swansea victory being priced at 9/4.

Verdict: A draw would be a fine result for the Swans. A win would be an absolute dream. Ultimately, fans will just want an improved performance as a starting point.

Millwall

One of the surprise packages of the season, the Lions are firmly in the mix for a top-six place.

Wales international Tom Bradshaw is enjoying a remarkable campaign with Gary Rowett's side having netted 13 Championship goals, including hat-tricks against fellow promotion hopefuls Watford and Sheffield United.

But summer signing Zian Flemming has well and truly taken the division by storm since joining from Fortuna Sittard, also bagging 13 goals this season in what has proven to be a shrewd piece of business from the London club.

Only Burnley, Sheffield United, Luton Town and Coventry City boast a better defensive record than that of Millwall heading into the latest round of league fixtures, such has been their improvement at the back this term.

So, as with Boro, Swansea face a difficult task at The Den on Tuesday night.

Verdict: As with the Boro game, a draw would be a positive. Avoiding mistakes could be key to nicking a win given the styles of the sides.

Bristol City

The Robins' nine-match unbeaten league run was ended by Cardiff City last weekend, although their impressive form in 2023 has seen them move well clear of the relegation zone and to the cusp of the Championship's top half.

That loss came at a cost, too. Nigel Pearson is without a host of defenders and midfield talent, with Joe Williams and Tomas Kalas suffering injuries against the Bluebirds to add to their growing list of problems.

Swansea have already faced Bristol City three times this season, drawing all three matches (in regular time), the third of which saw an extra-time defeat in the FA Cup third round.

They were nine places and six points better off than the Ashton Gate outfit ahead of the first meeting between the sides of the season in October but, at present, are four places and two points behind them.

Nevertheless, this contest represents a huge opportunity for the Swans. Despite the fixture switch due to a request from police, there will undoubtedly be a lively crowd in attendance at the Swansea.com Stadium. Going into the break with a morale-boosting success would be a major plus for Martin and his team ahead of the south Wales derby and the remainder of the run-in.

Verdict: This is one the Swans will be targeting. A win will certainly be desired here, although, given the Robins' form, a draw may not be terrible depending on the two aforementioned results.

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